Vancouver Whitecaps players celebrate after scoring a goal against St. Louis City during the second half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, June 29, 2024. The Vancouver Whitecaps snuck out a victory on penalties against MLS rival Los Angeles FC on Tuesday in Leagues Cup play. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
LOS ANGELES – The Vancouver Whitecaps began Leagues Cup play on Tuesday, escaping California with a shootout victory over the host Los Angeles FC after seeing the win almost slip away during stoppage time.
Vancouver goalkeeper and Penticton, B.C., native Isaac Boehmer stopped LAFC striker Kei Kamara in the penalty shootout, and Los Angeles midfielder Mateusz Bogusz shot over the net while the Whitecaps converted on all four of their kicks to win on penalties 4-2.
The Whitecaps had looked as if they would win in regulation time after jumping out to a 2-0 lead on goals in the fifth minute by Sebastian Berhalter and in the 17th minute by Ranko Veselinović, holding that advantage until well into the second half at the 88th minute.
That was when LAFC got a goal from Kamara to pull within one, before Bogusz scored the tying marker in the 95th minute, five minutes into stoppage time.
LAFC had the edge in possession in the game, holding the ball for 61 per cent of the time versus Vancouver’s 39 per cent. The Los Angeles side also had a 20-15 edge in shots, a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal, and a 6-2 edge in corners.
The Whitecaps will next play Mexican side Club Tijuana at BC Place in Vancouver on Saturday to determine which teams advance beyond the group stage. In the first game in the group, LAFC defeated Tijuana 3-0 last Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2024.
